


in search of a better life

by pastelblue



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Gen, [whispers] i want to visit new zealand too, arthur's second best sense is hearing, douglas plays the piano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-14 08:09:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10532394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelblue/pseuds/pastelblue
Summary: 2000. It was the year Carolyn Knapp-Shappey had gotten G-ERTI off Gordon Shappey after their divorce and life have underwent changes and been more adventurous for Arthur Shappey and his mum ever since.





	

2000\. It was the year mum had gotten G-ERTI off my dad after their divorce.

It was also the year mum brought me on a world trip... around the world. We needed a pilot to fly the plane of course since neither of us could so mum put up a notice stating that we're hiring and are looking for a professional pilot.

We didn't expect to get a response so soon but we did!

A day later, mum received a phone call from a man named Nigel who's eager to take the job. I was eccentric, we were finally flying!

Thus the night before our leave, we packed our belongings into two separate luggage bags and vow to never return again.

When dawn breaks, I drove mum and I to the airport and met up with Nigel. He was really eager to start and so were we.

After taking all the necessary take off checks and received clearance from air traffic control, we were airborne, as free as a bird, flying in the friendly skies.

A new destination every week, I've been to Gold Coast, Manila, Hawaii and Quebec all in the course of one month and not just that I've gotten Toblerones from all of their airports. 

Brilliant!

* * *

It was all going so well till the end of the second month when we're en route to New Zealand that Nigel decided to call it quits and left mum and I stranded on Auckland airport with no pilot to fly us home.

"What are we going to do, mum?" 

Carolyn sighed. "I don't know, Arthur. I really have no idea." He frowned. "Now I really wish I had went ahead and taken the pilot examination because if I had done that, we wouldn't have to deal with being pilotless now. Sorry, mum." 

"It's alright, Arthur. I'll sort this out in no time. For now, I'll have to go and make a few calls so while I'm gone, don't go blaming yourself for this and don't run off!" Carolyn rounded around the corner and disappeared into the throng of people.

He obeyed mum's orders and sat still for a while but it got quite dull quickly and he did something he was specifically told not to do. He hoped mum will forgive him for this for he got up and went directly to where the shops are located.

Beautiful and vibrant colours omitting from various signs and lighting combine with the airport's background noise were all he could register in the hustle and bustle of the airport with his mind clouded by jumbled thoughts.

Arthur suddenly stopped in his tracks as he realized he has accidentally walked past a duty-free shop and backtracked a little before making his way inside to the aisle where they display the Toblerones. 

Just as he was in the midst of choosing between dark chocolate and white chocolate, the first few keys of a joyful melody flowed freely from a piano. Due to his immense curiosity, Arthur abandoned the Toblerone debate and went in search of that merry tune. 

Everyone knows his best sense is touch but what comes in second is hearing and he's pretty skilled at that particular sense too!

He followed it to the center of the airport terminal where a middle-aged man in a dirty Air England uniform sat, fingers dancing across the piano keys. 

Arthur felt a smile creeping upon his face as he recognized the tune and decided to share his love of the song with others by making his way over to the piano and singing along happily.

The man looked up momentarily in surprise before acknowledging that Arthur was just an eager stranger who's willing to sing along and raised his own voice to match Arthur's.

They gained spectators rather quickly, all standing around enjoying the heartful collaboration even Carolyn, who doesn't look all too pleased. 

"Arthur! I told you to stay put didn't I? You gave me quite a fright!" 

"Oh, sorry mum. But look! Isn't he amazing?" Arthur gestured at the man.

"Yes, in fact he's _too good_." 

"Thank you, madam." He tipped his hat and ended the song single-handedly with a flourish. Loud applause broke through as he took a bow and people started dropping change into the captain's hat and went their separate ways.

"Say, why are you, a captain of British Airways, playing to get tips?" The man pocketed the money and extended a hand. "Name's Douglas Richardson, an ex-pilot for Air England. I got sacked a few days ago, left behind in New Zealand with only a captain's uniform, 200 pounds and an air of confidence also I can play the piano." 

Carolyn crossed her arms, "Well, Douglas, I might just have a solution to both of our problems."

Douglas raised an eyebrow, "I'm listening." 

"My son and I have a plane waiting in the hangar but the only problem is we don't have a pilot to fly us home but, luck is by our side since we found you, a proper pilot. We want to go home and you want to go home so, what do you say? Will you do us the honour of becoming our pilot?" 

Douglas pretend to mulled it over before finally dropping the act and uttering a single, "Yes." 

Arthur cried out in joy and crushes his mum in a hug.

"But," Carolyn said. "In exchange for the free ride home, you'll have to work for me."

"Deal." Douglas went ahead to pack up all his belongings except the grand piano and the three of them left with a lighter heart and a promise of a future for G-ERTI.

Once they were airborne, sailing smoothly above the clouds. Arthur made coffee for his new skipper for the first time and Douglas introduced Arthur to a few games he learned during his time at Air England and that moment could not have been more perfect as G-ERTI soared once again.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading!


End file.
